About Girma Ya Fadi Book One

Girma Ya Fadi Book One Complete Hausa Novel is an emotional Hausa family
drama about dignity, secrets, motherhood, spiritual healing, education, love, honour, and
the hidden wounds that can follow a person for many years.

The story introduces Malam Ali, a respected Qur’anic scholar and healer in Gwarzo, known
for helping people affected by spiritual illnesses. He is also a farmer, a generous man,
and a teacher of many almajirai.

Zaynab, also called Kyauta or Zaynabu-Abu, grows up as the special child of the household.
She is loved by Malam Ali and deeply cared for by Faruk, her elder brother. But her mother,
Rabi, carries a pain that affects her whole life and shapes the warnings she constantly
gives Zaynab.

Girma Ya Fadi Book One English Translation

Zaynab Aliyu Gwarzo

The name I grew up with from childhood was Zaynab Aliyu Gwarzo. My father
was originally from Gwarzo in Kano State. People called him Malam Ali Mai Almajirai.

Malam Ali was well known inside and outside Gwarzo because of his ability to treat
illnesses connected to jinn using the Holy Qur’an. Apart from healing people, he taught
thousands of almajirai and was also a famous farmer and animal keeper.

He owned five large farms and many kinds of animals and birds, including chickens, ducks,
turkeys, ostriches, rams, goats, and others.

Malam Ali was a man of honour, generosity, and respect. Everyone in Gwarzo knew his value.
If a stranger asked for the house of Malam Ali, people would immediately ask:

“Malam Ali Mai Almajirai?”

From anywhere in Gwarzo, someone would guide the visitor to his doorstep.

Malam Ali’s Family

Malam Ali had three wives. Among them, only the first wife, Inna Dubu, had a child who
survived. That child was Umar Faruk. She had given birth nine times, but all the other
babies died as infants.

After Inna Dubu came Inna Rakiya. Then came my mother, Rabi, Malam Ali’s last wife. Rabi
was a very fair-skinned Buzu woman, and I grew up under her care.

The story of how my mother married Malam Ali began when she was brought to him for healing.

How Rabi Came To Gwarzo

Because Malam Ali dealt with many kinds of people from different parts of Hausaland and
beyond, wealthy traders, politicians, educated people, and government workers often came
to him for help.

Many sick people were brought to his house, and he had a special section prepared for
them.

This was how he met Alhaji Sani Buzu, a famous leather trader and politician from Niamey
in Niger Republic. Alhaji Sani came to Kano because his daughter Rabi had a spiritual
illness, and he came with her younger sister, Nuratu.

In Kano, he heard about Malam Ali through a business friend from Niger who had also
received help from Malam Ali before.

Alhaji Sani did not know anyone in Kano and had never even travelled there before. He came
only because of Rabi’s sickness. He loved his two daughters, Rabi and Nuratu, deeply. Their
mother had died and left them with him, and since then he had not remarried.

The Healing And The Marriage Request

Rabi and Nuratu stayed in Malam Ali’s house for two weeks while Rabi received treatment.
By Allah’s will, her problem was not severe, and within a short time Malam Ali separated
her from the spiritual trouble disturbing her.

Out of happiness, Alhaji Sani told Malam Ali to mention anything he wanted, as long as it
was within his ability.

Malam Ali replied that he did not need anything except Rabi’s hand in marriage. He said
that would be better than anything Alhaji Sani could give him.

Alhaji Sani became disturbed because he had never imagined that Malam Ali would ask for
such a thing. If he had known, he would never have made that open promise.

He worried because his daughters did not even know Kano. They did not know Hausa properly,
and Rabi could hardly live without Nuratu because the sisters loved each other deeply.

But when Rabi was asked, surprisingly, she agreed immediately. Nuratu also refused to
return with their father and said she would stay wherever her elder sister stayed.

Malam Ali promised to take care of Nuratu like his own child until she married.

Alhaji Sani’s Death

Alhaji Sani did not leave until he had paid Rabi’s bride price.

But unknown to everyone, that was his final farewell to his daughters, Rabi and Nuratu.

On his way back to Niger, filled with worry about how he would explain Rabi’s marriage to
his mother and relatives, their plane crashed on a mountain before reaching Niamey. No one
survived.

Zaynab’s Childhood

I grew up without knowing much about Nuratu. Our house was filled with children being
raised by Malam Ali’s wives, because each of them cared for relatives’ children. So Malam
Ali’s house was full of blessings and did not look childless.

I grew up pampered and loved because I was the last-born. I came many years after Faruk,
and no other child came after me. They called me Kyauta, meaning Allah’s
gift.

Only my mother Rabi called me Abu. Malam Ali called me
Zaynabu-Abu without shortening it.

The women in the house lived with respect and understanding. There was no serious conflict
among them. They raised relatives’ children and Malam Ali’s almajirai as if they were all
their own.

Umar Faruk

When I was ten years old, Yaya Faruk finished secondary school. Wherever he went, he held
my hand. Whatever he ate outside, he kept some for me. Whenever he returned from school,
he brought me gifts like sugarcane, groundnuts, and sweets.

I loved my brother Faruk because of his admirable character.

Faruk was quiet and reserved. He hardly chatted with anyone except me or Rabi. He rarely
raised his eyes to look at visitors. He would only answer greetings without looking up.

There was strong trust and respect between Faruk and Rabi. Every worry Faruk had, Rabi
knew about it. He discussed important things with her, and even kept his valuable items
in our room.

His maturity was different from others. He was young in age, but his character was like
that of elders.

Faruk’s Love For Zaynab

Faruk loved me and cared for me like a daughter he had given birth to himself.

From when I was about three years old, he combed my long hair and divided it into two
plaits. He chose the clothes I would wear, carried me on his bicycle, took me to school,
and came to pick me up without ever failing.

When my mother bathed me roughly, Faruk would complain:

“Inna Rabi, stop scrubbing Abu hard. Her skin is not strong. Can you not see that she is
fair-skinned? You will tear her skin and make blood come out.”

One day, he even said:

“From today, do not bathe Abu again. I will be bathing her myself because I have noticed
that you scrub her hard on purpose.”

Rabi laughed and reported him to Malam. Malam told Faruk that a male should not bathe a
female, and from that day nobody was allowed to bathe Zaynab with a sponge again.

Rabi’s Hidden Sorrow

From childhood, I knew that my mother Rabi carried a deep sorrow that had lasted for
years. Whenever it rose inside her, she would enter the room and cry.

In such moments, only Faruk could comfort her and calm her down.

I often saw them whispering to each other. Whatever troubled Inna Rabi did not reduce with
time or age.

She would tell me:

“Kyauta, life is frightening. The heart of a person can sometimes become their enemy. It
may command them toward what it knows is wrong and what Allah has forbidden.

“Run away from the evil of the heart. Purify your heart from disobeying Allah, no matter
how small the sin is. Stay away from zina. Protect your private parts. Human beings are
frightening, especially the one you help.”

At that age, I did not understand her words. I only knew that my mother’s life was
different from that of Malam’s other wives. Nothing truly made her happy, even Malam’s
deep love for her.

Rabi’s Constant Warning

Almost every night, Rabi warned me about zina. I did not even know clearly what zina meant.
I only understood that it was something she hated deeply and something Allah had strongly
forbidden.

I promised myself that I would avoid it, just as she always warned me.

Sometimes she said:

“Kyauta, it is better for me to hear of your death than to hear that you committed zina.”

As I grew older, questions began disturbing me:

What exactly is zina? Why does my mother warn me only about it? Is zina the only thing
Allah dislikes? What is wrong with my mother?

Zaynab Asks Faruk About Zina

One evening, the thoughts became too much for me. I went to Faruk’s room, holding my head
because of the migraine I often suffered from due to worry.

Faruk looked at me carefully and asked:

“Kyauta, what is wrong with you? I have noticed that you have not been cheerful recently.
You are becoming thin. There is worry in your eyes. Tell me. If you do not tell me your
problem, who will you tell?”

I asked him:

“Yaya Faruk, if I ask you something, will you tell me the truth before Allah?”

He replied that he had never lied to me before.

I lowered my head in shame and asked:

“What is zina, the thing Inna Rabi warns me about every day?”

Faruk was shocked. He asked whether Rabi was truly the one saying such things to me. I
told him yes and explained all her warnings.

Faruk Explains

Faruk lowered his head for a long time. Tears filled his eyes, but he carefully wiped them.
After some minutes, he looked up and spoke gently.

He said zina was not the only forbidden thing Allah hates, but it was among them. The
greatest forbidden act is shirk, associating partners with Allah.

He explained that Rabi warned me because I was a girl, and girls could be easily deceived
in that area because their hearts are delicate.

He said:

“Zina means living with someone like husband and wife when there is no marriage between
you and that man. It may seem easy to commit, but the pleasure in it is temporary, while
the sorrow it brings can last forever.”

He advised me to hold firmly to Rabi’s warning, even if I did not understand all the
reasons behind it.

Education And Professor Sa’idu

Life continued with Allah’s protection and good upbringing.

When Faruk wrote his secondary school final exams, I also wrote my primary school final
exams at Gwarzo Special.

Malam Ali had many connections among government workers. One of his former almajirai had
become a professor at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto.

His name was Professor Sa’id Salisu Bindawa, but in the past the other almajirai called
him Sa’idu-Baki because he was very dirty as a child.

Malam Ali had loved him more than the other almajirai because he believed Sa’idu was the
most intelligent among them.

When the local authorities demanded that children be taken to western school, Malam Ali
chose Sa’idu and enrolled him.

Rabi cared for Sa’idu deeply when he was young. Because he had ulcer, she always made sure
he had food. If he had nothing to eat, she would cook for him or prepare soaked cassava
flour with honey.

She also sewed new clothes for him during Eid and gave him gifts whenever he travelled to
his village.

Through education, Sa’idu rose in life until he became Professor Sa’id Salisu Bindawa, a
vice-chancellor at Usmanu Danfodiyo University.

Rabi Refuses To Let Abu Leave

When the issue of my education came up, Rabi cried quietly and said she was not against
my schooling. But she asked why, among all the schools in Kano, I had to be taken all the
way to Sokoto.

She said she did not want me far from her. She feared what might happen. She did not want
anything to hurt me or damage my dignity.

She also spoke with pain about someone whose status she was trying to protect in my eyes,
even though she believed he was an oppressor.

She said:

“I am trying to protect his dignity in her eyes and protect her own dignity before the
world. But they do not see it. Fine, take Abu and give her to him. But whatever follows
later, do not cry to me.”

Professor Sa’idu’s Wives Visit

The next morning, which was Friday, Professor Sa’idu’s two wives came to plead with Rabi
to allow Abu to stay with them for school.

The first wife was Hajiya Sa’a, and the younger wife was Hajiya Azumi.

Hajiya Sa’a and Rabi had never been close. In fact, there was deep dislike between them.
When Hajiya Sa’a entered the house, she did not even look toward Rabi’s room. She went
directly to Inna Dubu’s room.

Hajiya Sa’a walked proudly, like a president’s wife. Zaynab had never liked her because
of her arrogance and the way she looked down on poor people.

She did not even drink the water of the house. She came with bottled water in her car and
food packed in foil. When hungry, she would go to the car, eat, drink, and return.

Hajiya Azumi, however, was different. She was humble, cheerful, and respectful to everyone.
She and Rabi were close, like sisters.

Azumi Pleads For Abu

Hajiya Azumi told Rabi:

“Can I not care for Abu like I care for Aziza? I was surprised when Alhaji told me you
refused to let Abu stay with us. Wallahi, Iftihal talks about Abu every day, and her
brother also keeps mentioning Abu.

“We are not taking her away from you forever. Every holiday, she will come back to your
room. The love her father has for Abu is from Allah. We do not know what Allah may make
Abu become in the future through this education.”

Rabi smiled weakly and replied:

“You and your husband no longer make me angry. You only surprise me.”

Azumi asked what surprised her.

Rabi said:

“God gave me only one daughter, and you people have fixed your eyes on her. You are
determined to separate me from her despite all the children Allah gave you. Is it greed,
or what?

“Stop saying it is because of education. Just say openly that you want to take her from me.
If it is school, must Sokoto teach Kano education?”

Azumi laughed gently, happy that Rabi was beginning to soften.

She said:

“Mother of Abu, your daughter is lovable. She has charm, calmness, and a special character.
A girl like Abu can benefit society greatly if she receives deep education. Please be
patient and give us Abu. By Allah’s permission, you will not regret it.”

Faruk’s View

Faruk also believed that Abu should go. He did not want her to remain in the village and
lose the opportunity to experience city life, proper education, and a wider world.

He feared that if she remained in the village, her beauty and long hair would end there,
and one day she might simply be married off to a village man like some of the girls before
her.

Faruk wanted progress for his only sister. After spending two years with Professor Sa’idu’s
family, he had begun asking himself whether their own life before was truly life or
something close to living in the bush.

Girma Ya Fadi Book One Novel Details

• Novel Title: Girma Ya Fadi Book One Complete Hausa Novel
• Category: Complete Hausa Novels
• Language: English Translation
• Main Characters: Zaynab Aliyu Gwarzo / Kyauta / Abu, Umar Faruk, Rabi, Malam Ali
• Other Characters: Inna Dubu, Inna Rakiya, Nuratu, Alhaji Sani Buzu, Professor Sa’id Salisu Bindawa, Hajiya Sa’a, Hajiya Azumi
• Main Themes: Family dignity, hidden sorrow, motherhood, Islamic upbringing, education, honour, love, secrets, and social class
• Setting: Gwarzo in Kano State, Malam Ali’s household, Niger Republic, and the path toward Sokoto education

Why You Should Read Girma Ya Fadi Book One Complete Hausa Novel

Girma Ya Fadi Book One Complete Hausa Novel is perfect for readers who
enjoy deep Hausa family dramas with strong moral lessons, emotional motherhood, Islamic
values, education, social class, and hidden secrets.

Zaynab’s story is touching because she grows up loved and protected, yet surrounded by a
sorrow she does not understand. Faruk’s love, Rabi’s warnings, Malam Ali’s honour, and
the pressure to send Abu away for education make the story emotional and suspenseful.

Frequently Asked Questions About Girma Ya Fadi Book One Complete Hausa Novel

What is Girma Ya Fadi Book One Complete Hausa Novel about?

Girma Ya Fadi Book One Complete Hausa Novel is about Zaynab Aliyu Gwarzo,
also called Abu, and her childhood in Malam Ali’s respected household, where family love,
hidden sorrow, education, and moral warnings shape her life.

Who is Zaynab Aliyu Gwarzo?

Zaynab Aliyu Gwarzo is the narrator and main character. She is also called Kyauta and Abu.
She is Malam Ali’s beloved daughter and Rabi’s only child.

Who is Malam Ali Mai Almajirai?

Malam Ali is a respected Qur’anic scholar, healer, farmer, and teacher in Gwarzo. He is
known for helping people affected by spiritual illnesses using the Holy Qur’an.

Who is Umar Faruk?

Umar Faruk is Zaynab’s elder brother. He loves and protects her deeply, treating her almost
like his own child.

Why does Rabi always warn Zaynab about zina?

Rabi carries a hidden sorrow and constantly warns Zaynab about zina because she fears
anything that may damage her daughter’s dignity and future.

Who is Professor Sa’id Salisu Bindawa?

Professor Sa’id Salisu Bindawa was once an almajiri in Malam Ali’s house. Through education,
he rose to become a professor and vice-chancellor at Usmanu Danfodiyo University.

What are the main themes of Girma Ya Fadi?

The main themes include dignity, hidden secrets, family honour, motherhood, love, Islamic
upbringing, education, social class, and the fear of moral downfall.